Rotary Club of Table Rock Lake Sponsors Students and Teacher for Student Government Day

On Wednesday, April 9, 2025, the Rotary Club of Table Rock Lake financially sponsored three students and one teacher from Stone County to spend the day at the Capitol. Monica Mueller from the Rotary Club of Table Rock Lake (TRL) in Branson West, MO chaperoned one teacher and three Galena High School (GHS) students from the Biology of Public Health class.

Emma Childers, Galena’s Science teacher at the High School, attended with three of her students. Ms. Childers, Monica, Yvonne, Naomi, and Emma all gathered at 4:30 am at GHS to travel to Jefferson City’s (JC) Rotary club’s Student Government Day beginning at 8 am. This JC Rotary Club event has been ongoing since 1955, but this is the first time Rotary Club of TRL has been able to send youth to the experience, since the event is limited to 200 people total.

The Student Government Day began by meeting in the Missouri State Capitol Rotunda and greeting fellow high school students from around the state. Tours included the House of Representatives Chambers, the Senate Chambers, attending legislative committee hearings, meeting local representatives and senators, as well as Supreme Court and Governor’s mansion tours.

During their time at the Capitol, the GHS students spent time with Senator Brad Hudson. Senator Hudson has been a TRL Rotarian for over ten years. The students stated multiple times after that meeting that they really appreciated the fact that Senator Hudson spent over 30 minutes with us, listened, and showed genuine interest with his words, eye contact, and body language. They also really appreciated his statement that if they wanted to see change, leadership, and/or true service to our community and world and that if no one else steps up to do this, then they need to step up. Representative Burt Whaley also met with the students and even stepped off the House Chambers floor to do so. This was the first visit to the Capitol by all the students. They shared on the car ride home that this Capitol experience was one of the highlights of their high school career.

If you live in Stone County and are interested in joining a community and public service club, Rotary Club of Table Rock Lake would love to meet with you about joining our Club. Rotary Club of Table Rock Lake meets on Fridays each week at Tequilas’ Restaurant in Branson West from 11:45 am-1 pm. For more information about the membership process, please call TRL Rotarian, Dawne Gardner, at 417-739-4903.